Have you ever known someone who would put you down in any way that they could? Then you have met with a villain. It is easy to think that a villain is just for suspense or thriller type novels, but they are a great source of conflict in all genres. To figure out the best type of villain for your novel, start with figuring out the end of the book goal for your characters. These would be things like love, safety, freedom, security, etc. Then look for the type villain that would make reaching that goal difficult. Also, at this preliminary stage you should consider the competence of the character, or what they are especially good at. You want the villain to oppose this as well. Romantic Suspense: *Sarah is […]
Read the RestTag Archives | Brainstorming Strategies and Tips
Brainstorming Strategies: #1 Layers
Every story has a basic story line or plot that is central to the book. Without it, there would be no story. But to create a deeper story you need to add layers. What are layers? Layers are the different pieces or story threads that run along side your plot to make it more interesting. Often these layers are added by subplot or other POV characters besides the hero and heroine. For example, in the movie White Christmas there are several layers, here are a few: *The two sisters agreed that they won’t let a man come between them Deepening Layer: The youngest pretends that Danny Kaye is her sweetheart so that her sister will feel free to fall in love. Deepening Layer: It works so well that when the […]
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Tips for Brainstorming
Whether you have a brainstorm partner or not, or a crit group, you can find successful ways to brainstorm a story. I’ve brainstormed with Susie for years, and it began after the Dallas ’06 ACFW conference. Christine Lynxwiler and I started talking in the hotel lobby as her husband waited in the van with their daughter to drive home. Then Susie met up with us, and next thing we knew, we were in my Presidential suite, brainstorming our books. Chris’s husband graciously took the girls shopping, then sat in the suite living room watching TV as Susie, Chris and I duked out our stories. It was fun. Adrenaline. And a pattern was formed. The next year, we purposefully stayed over Sunday to brainstorm. That year, Annalisa Daughty stayed with us. […]
Read the RestRachel and Susie at Cocoa Beach!
Hey all ~ Here’s a pix of Rachel and I strolling Cocoa Beach — sadly, of course, we were…brainstorming a book! We’re such addicts! Which is why I nearly stepped on a jellyfish. (They’re these cool little see-through disks, like a blob, on the sand…I said, “Hey Rach, look — ” and stuck my bare toe out to nudge it and she nearly threw me over her shoulder and took off in a run!) We hashed out her new book, and then worked on one of my scenes. We always start out with one easy word…WHY. It’s a great way to get to the heart of the story. Hope you all are having a great week! R & S
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